Assessment of postural control in children with cerebral palsy: A review

This paper aimed to review studies that assessed postural control (PC) in children with cerebral palsy (CP) and describe the methods used to investigate postural control in this population. It also intended to describe the performance of children with CP in postural control. An extensive database search was performed using the keywords: postural control, cerebral palsy, children, balance and functionality. A total of 1065 papers were identified and 25 met the inclusion criteria. The survey showed that PC is widely studied in children with CP, with reliable methods. The link between postural control and functionality was also evident. However, a lack of studies was observed assessing postural control in these children by means of scales and functional tests, as well as exploring postural control during daily functional activities. Thus research addressing these issues can be a promising field for further research on postural control.

► We aimed to review papers assessing postural control in children with CP.
► Postural control is widely studied in this population, with reliable methods.
► Only few studies assessed postural control by means of scales and functional tests.
► As well as few studies explored postural control during functional activities.
► Research addressing these issues can be a promising field for further research.